In the construction of a household refrigerator, it is often desirable to provide a partition within the refrigerator for separating the refrigerator into first and second compartments such as a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment, for example. It is further desirable to have the partition constructed in such a manner that there is a mullion across the front of the partition and secured to the cabinet outer case to afford a pleasing appearance. The freezer and fresh food compartments are in many cases closed by separate access doors which are hingedly attached to the cabinet outer case. For the pleasing appearance of the mullion and the proper fit of the doors for the freezer and fresh food compartments it is important that the width of the refrigerator cabinet be maintained to a given tolerance from the top of the cabinet to the bottom and particularly in the area where the mullion spans the two sides of the refrigerator.
It has been recognized that certain foam resins permanently containing in their cells vapors having a low co-efficient of heat transmission provides superior insulating qualities to refrigerator cabinets. The refrigerator normally employs a sheet metal outer casing and either a sheet metal or plastic inner liner with an insulation medium interposed therebetween. Polyurethane compositions in liquid/gas form are introduced into the space between the outer casing and inner liner, expand throughout the space and then are solidified by curing. Normally there are molds and fixtures to keep the refrigerator cabinet in its desired shape during the foaming operation, however, there is still a problem with the side walls of the outer casing of the cabinet bulging or bowing outwardly during the foaming operation as the result of the pressures generated within the space being insulated. As a result refrigerator cabinets have a tendency to bow outwardly and during the assembly of the cabinet and installation of the mullion partition between the freezer and fresh food compartments and the hanging of the doors on those compartments is made difficult. It is desirable to be able to easily size the refrigerator cabinets so that the bowing is overcome and essentially the width between the side walls of the refrigerator cabinet is the same from the top of the cabinet to the bottom of the cabinet.
By my invention there is provided a method of assembling a refrigerator cabinet wherein a cabinet that may be slightly bowed can be adjusted to eliminate the bowing and thereby provide a pleasing appearance for the mullion and the proper alignment of the doors to the cabinet.